Redlynch House

Description

Redlynch. The mansion of Sir John Fitzjames, Chief Justice in the 1530s, was replaced in 1708 for Sir Stephen Fox, promoter of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. This house, by Thomas Fort, seems to have been unfinished, for it was greatly extended for Fox’s son (later the 1st Earl) in 1725–30, apparently by Nathaniel Ireson. That work continued into the mid 1750s, with chimneypieces by Henry Flitcroft. The mansion was demolished in 1913. It faced w down a terrace backed by large twin service ranges of 1740–6 by Ireson. These remain, converted into flats. Both of 2–7–2 bays, with parapets and ashlar-framed windows, the lower ones heavily keyed. The w stable range has a clock turret. The e range became a house for the 5th Earl in 1901, converted by Edwin Lutyens. It burnt in 1914 and was rebuilt in 1915–16 for Frederick Pepper by John Egerton Thorpe. Little of Lutyens remains. His e front was Surrey-vernacular, three hipped roofs over oak-mullioned two-storey bays. The Gibbsian w porch is his, moved from the s front. The nearby garden archway matches but could be by Thorpe; the iron gate comes from Lutyens’s porch. On the slope above is a late c18 orangery, plain brick with long windows. The hip-roofed summer-room to the e is early c20, crudely detailed, but the pedimental ends (one dated 1742) suggest Lutyens. (Orbach & Pevsner, 2014, p.540) Stables, Coach House and Servants’ Wing, now house; one of two matching wings. First half C18, remodelled as house in 1913 probably by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Built by Nathaniel Ireson of Wincanton for Lord Ilchester. Local stone cut and squared with Doulting stone dressings; hipped Welsh slate roofs behind parapets; stone chimney stacks with moulded capitals. ‘U’-plan, 2 storeys with attics; South facade of 11 bays, of which outer pairs project slightly. Plinth, lower cill course, eaves cornice and panelled solid parapets; 2-light cruciform timber windows with leaded lights in plain surrounds, the lower windows having triple keystones; doorway to bay 6 with Gibbsian surround and keystone, with late C20 doors in early C20 frame with leaded fanlight; hipped dormer windows behind parapet bays 2 to l0; lead rainwater stackheads and pipes. East facade of 3 bays, with pairs 2-light windows above and angled one-storey bay windows below flanking central triple window with open pedimented hood on console brackets. Vest elevation of 6-bays, with dormer windows bays 4 to 6, and to bay 5 projecting pedimented vaulted porch of C20, with attached Doric columns to Gibbsian round-arched surround. Interiors not accessible. Wing walls probably C20, ashlar with rusticated surrounds, wood gates. This wing converted into house in l913 after the main house, sited South of the existing wings, was destroyed by fire; through arson by the Suffragettes. No trace of this remains. (Historic England, list entry 1056402)

Gateway. C1912-13. Probably by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Doulting stone with wrought iron gates. Semi-circular arched gateway with Gibbsian surround of flat pilasters crowned by open pediment; ramped abutments; good pair of decorative wrought iron gates. Typical of the high quality renovation of 1913, and complimentary to the setting.(Historic England, list entry 1346195)

Bibliography

Orbach, J. and Pevsner, N. (2014) Somerset: South and West. The Buildings of England. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Historic England. East block Redlynch Park House with gates wing walls on south west corner and north west corner. [Online] Available from: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/results/?searchType=NHLE+Simple&search=1056402 Historic England. Gate to North Garden, between East and West blocks, Redlynch Park House. [Online] Available from: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/results/?searchType=NHLE+Simple&search=1346195

Also Cited In

Listing Grade

II,II

Listing Reference

1056402 1346195

Client

Earl of Ilchester